GROCERY STORE BOTANY

Rahn's introduction to edible roots, stems, leaves and fruits includes little of the purely descriptive lore found in Selsam's The Plants We Eat. Rather it resembles a compressed one volume version of her series on ""The Carrot and Other . . . Vegetables."" The pared down text identifies the common characteristics that make, say, an apple, a tomato and a kernel of corn all pieces of fruit, shows why a strawberry is, technically, a stem and distinguishes a few different functions and examples of true roots, tubers and enlarged bulbs. The result is a clear and--with occasional suggestions for activities--moderately involving guide to the anatomy of familiar foods. Businesslike and pleasant, though it lacks the flair and photos that make Selsam's lessons so easy to digest.